Two held for ‘child-trafficking’ in Abia

Two women, Adaeze Nkemdirim and Ngozi Ukonu, were yesterday arraigned before an Umuahia Magistrate’s Court for alleged trafficking in persons.

Nkemdirim faces a three-count charge of conspiracy, child-trafficking and unlawful custody; Ukonu is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and child-trafficking.

The prosecuting counsel, Sampson Onyemucheya, told the court that the accused had on April 24 at Daughter of Zion Rehabilitation/Care Centre, Obingwa Magisterial District, sold a new born baby boy by Eberechi Achi.

He said the offence was punishable under Section 23 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement/Administration Act and Section 516 of the Criminal Code.

Onyemucheya said the first accused had between April 23 and 24, willingly and unlawfully kept Achi at her home and treated her as a slave, thereby contravening Section 24 of the above mentioned Act.

When the charges were read, the accused pleaded not guilty.

The Defence Counsel to the first accused, C. Onyekwere, objected to the first and third charges and urged the court to strike them out.

He said the police was not competent to prosecute the matter and that the issue should be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP).

Onyekwere applied for the bail of the first accused, saying that it was unlawful to keep her in police custody when no court had found her guilty.

The Magistrate, Mrs. Elizabeth Kalu, denied the bail application and directed the accused to be remanded.